Five men arrested for cutting down pavement tree
It is illegal to remove or tamper with city trees on pavements, regardless of whether you own a house there or not.
Johannesburg is famous for its trees and at this time of year for the purple haze that engulfs it with the blooming of the Jacaranda trees. These green canopies are made up of 10 million trees and are worth an estimated R13b.
Many of these are on city pavements and are illegal to cut down.
Regional Manager for Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo (JCPZ) Joseph Ndou said a tree worth R92 160 on a pavement in a Johannesburg North suburb has been illegally removed and a criminal case opened against the property owner where it stood.
Five men were arrested by JMPD who attended the scene after being alerted by JCPZ who visited the site after a tip-off.
“The men doing the work said the homeowner wanted it removed so he could plant grass there. The removal of any pavement tree needs permission from the council beforehand who will decide on a case-by-case basis if it is possible.”
Noeleen Mattera, for Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo (JCPZ) says, “Many trees date back to the 1900s. A mature leafy tree produces as much oxygen in a season as 10 people inhale in a year. They also reduce temperatures and noise levels.”
With many trees being decades old, it is expected that some will be dying of ‘old age’ while others are perishing from disease or illegal cutting for firewood, known as tree poaching. The ability of the city to keep up with replenishing dead or diseased trees is critical.
“We proceeded to open a case with the police against the five suspects who have been charged with malicious damage to council property. We are also pursuing a civil case against the owner of the property to recover the financial loss that the city suffered due to the illegal tree removal,” said Ndou.
JMPD’s Xolani Fihla said, “The JMPD received a complaint from JCPZ about individuals who were allegedly cutting trees without permission from the council. The complaint was attended to and I’m currently awaiting the feedback.”
Mattera said, “We grow our own trees to replace old, dead or diseased ones and supply surplus stock to communities for greening projects and planting in their gardens. The nursery produces up to 100 000 tree seedlings a year, which, after five years, will be large enough to plant on pavements and in parks.”
“We urge residents and communities to refrain from illegally removing and felling trees. Failing to comply will result in legal action and hefty fines being imposed.”
Illegal tree removal tip-offs and requests to prune or fell trees, should be reported to trees@jhbcityparks.com or contact Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo on 011 712 6600 or Joburg Connect on 011 375 5555.
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